Toolmaker&#39;s adjustable knee



E. 1. BRYANT.

TOOLMAKER'S ADJUSTABLE KNEE. APPucATlou man AuG.z1, ma.

1,355,809. Patented ont, 19,1920.

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E. J. BRYANT.

TOOLMAKERS ADJUSTABLE KNEE.

APvLlcATJoN FILED Aue.21, `191s.

1,355,809.v Patented oen 19,1920.

` E51.. BRYANT.

TOOLMAKER'S ADlUSTABLE KNEE.`

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 191.8.

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. Patented' oet. 19,1920.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER J'. BRYANT, WOONSOKET, RHODEYISLANDQASSIGNOR TO THE T AFT-PEIRCE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WOCNSOCKET, RHODEISLAND, A CORIOR'A'IION c or RHODE ISLAND.

rooLMAKEns `ADJUs'iueBLn Y A @Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Oct. 19 1920.

Application filed August 27, 1918. Serial No. 251,708.

T o all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that I, ELMER VBRYANT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of thecity of Voonsocket, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Toolmakers Adjustable Knees, of which the y which may be theplane of theA supporting base for the tool. i

A further'obj ect of the present invention is an adjustable knee as specified and wherein the knee comprises a pair of base members having plane faces thereon disposedV at a predetermined angle and with strengthening webs extending'between the base members in-such manner asto'form supports for the arms of an adjustablebed, so that the bed may be set atany predetermined kangle relatively to the said plane-surfaces.

A still further object ofl the present invention is an adjustable knee las specified, and wherein the plane surfaces are disposed at right angles to each other with the pivots for the arms of the adjustablek bed mounted on a line bisecting the said right angle, and

with the face of the bed disposed at a right angle to the axis of thepivoted arms so that the inclination' for angle of the face of the bed relative .to one of the plane surfaces will be complementa-l tothe angle which the inclination of the face ofthe bed makes with the plane of the other surface.

Another and important obj ect of the present invention is a knee'- of the character specied, wherein an extension comprisingA an accurately groundcylinder is provided on the pivot bolt for the arms of the bedv and with the axis of the cylinder coincident with the axis around which .the arms rotate, and wherein an accurately groundY cylinder of identically the same diameter 1s adapted to be carried bythe end of the bed j in such manner that a plane joining the axes of the saidA cylinders will be at right angles to the surface of the bed and will include the axis around which the arms rotate. lThe said constructions are such that by mea'sur` ing theheights of the said cylinders from one of the base planes, the natural sine of the angle which the plane of the bed sur face makes with the opposite base plane may be-accurately determined and the bed of the knee may be accurately positioned to any required angle by referring to a table of natural sines and setting the cylinders accordingly. y 1 v Another object of the present invention is a knee of the character specified wherein the ends of the bed terminate in substantially as on one of the bases.

A further object is a knee of the character specified wherein the sine measure cylinder `the same plane as the ends of the base, whereby the knee may be set on end as welll carried by the bed is removable in order that 1.

the bed may positioned on end as` stated. VA still further object of the presentVV invention is a, knee ofthe character speciiied wherein the bedextendsfarther to one side of thecenter line of the arms than to the y :Y

other side", so that when the bed is positioned at an extreme limit in one direction the edge of the bed is substantially coincident with the plane of the adjacent base, and when other edge ofthe bed extends lbeyond the plane of the adjacentbas'e.

Other and furtherobjects will in part be obvious and willl in part be-pointed out hereinafter in the specificationfollowing by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein V like parts are indicated by like charactersv throughout the several iigures thereof.

Vthe bed is positioned at its other limitthe l vFigurevlfris a'perspe'ctiveiview ofthe en d f of the knee provided with the vernierisc'ale. Fig. 2 is a perspective lview showing the end ofthe knee which is providedh with sine determining fixtures. f

Fig.A 3 is anr end viewlillustrating the Y method of obtaining the sine ofthe angle of the face plate.` Fig. 4 `is a perspective view bed carrying a piece of work. j

'Fig. 5 is a back viewof'the knee.

Heretofore in the art'where it has been desired to mill or otherwise produce a surface. or an. opening with va predetermined showing the angular relation to lsome other surface or Y openingin the work, it has beeu'cornmon to Y mount up the lwork on a stationary elbow or knee. If only a few pieces of work were desired to be made each piece was .separately positioned and vclamped in its desired angular relation. It has been the practice, where a number of such partsare to be made, to

provide Va specially formed stationary elbow Y v or knee on which the work would be posispa tioned. There have also been provided in the art certain types of adjustable surface plates which could be raised or lowered at one edge by jack screws to test or hold work wherein slight'angular adjustment could be obtained. Y y

The present invention brings into the art a new tool by means of wliichwork may be tested or j may be supported while being -formed and wherein anyinclination from zero to 90 degrees maybe given to the work. At the same time the Vtool is provided with accurate measuring devices so that the inclination ofthe work mayr be very accurately determined. The tool is constructed also with the view of producing rigidity and strength so thatthe work positioned thereon is rigidly securely and accurately held while ybeing milled or formed by a machine tool or while being testedby measuring instruments.`V 4

Referring know to the drawings, the supportingframe comprises an angular-shaped Y base having one portion 1 provided with a plane surface 2 which -isl angularly dispo-sed to the plane surface 4 on theportion 5,- and preferably the angle'between the planes 2 and 4 shall be aright angle. A pair of strengthening webs 6 and7 are provided at right angles to the portions land 5, preferably with the edges of thevwebs curved to comprise uadrants of a circle. The portions 1 an v 5 are provided -with side openings 8 through which stub bolts maybe placed to secure the'rtool inposition on the bed of afma'chine tool such as Va milling machine. The webs .6 and 7 are drilled and provided with bushings, preferably steel or bronze bushings 9, through whichV extend heavy pivot bolts 10 and 11.thatY comprise the supports for the arms 12 and 14 oftheV work table or bed15. It lwill be noted (see Figq), that the arms 12and 14 are both on the right .side of the webs- 6 and 7. This construction makes the distance between the arms the same las the distance between the webs. VThis facilitates accurate finishing of Y the respective engaging faces, as well as providing symmetry of these parts. Preferably dowel pins 16 extendthrough the heads of the pivot bolts 10 and 1'1 to prevent turning of the bolts. The pivot bolts 10 and 11 carry hexagonal nuts 17 which are seated against friction washers 18that are provided with keys 19 vwhich yprevent these washers from rotating on the pivot bolts. The web 6V carries a quadrant scale 20 divided in degrees, and the bed carries `a Vernier 21 which cooperates withthe quadrant scale 20, whereby readings .may be obtained to the accuracy VVof five minutes. The web 7'is provided with an arc-shaped opening through which eX- 1 Vtendsthe clamp bolt 22 that is carriedby Y the arm 14. Y

By loosening and tightening the hexagonal Vnut'24 on the clamp bolt 22 the bed 15 mayV be adjusted andthen securely heldin any predeterminedposition. The bed is provided with a plurality of undercut-grooves 25 in which stub bolts maybe inserted for clamping a 'piece of work suchk as 26 (Fig. 4) in position on the bed. 4The Vpivot bolt 10 is provided with an accurately ground cylinv drical extensionv 27 and the' end of the bed is provided withan accurately ground-bushing 28 in which a carefully fitted cylindrical plug 29 is adapted to be'carried. This plug 29 is removable in order to enable the 1 tool to be set on end. A, plane which my comprises a 10 units, a-multiple of10, or a factor of 10. That is,the distance 'might comprise 10 inches or 10 centimeters, or multiples or factors of such units vof measure.

To accurately determine an angle which the plane of the bed 15 makes with `either ofthe plane surfaces 2 or 4,` the device may be set on a plane surface, such as a surface plate 30 (Figs. 3 and 4), and the height `X between the surface plate' and the low'erm'ostY carefully measured by a "height gageY 31.

VInthe same manner the distance between the lowermostportion of the plug 29 Vand the surface `plate 30 may be determined. Then since 'the hypotenuse rr-B ofthe triangle A B-Cgis the known distance between the axes of the cylindrical mei'nbers 27 and 29 and if this distance be tenv units, the' height B+@ is equal tothe total distance ,between the plugVV 29 and the surface plate 30, minus the distance which kis the same as X. This is a direct reading on Vportion of the cylindricalextension 27 then the height gage of the natural sine of the n T angle l Realizing that my invention will be carried out iii/'structures other`than that specifically disclosed herein, 'I desire Lthat the This angle W is identically the `1 same as the angle Z whichthe plane of the Y bed 15 makes with the plane surface 2.

' sense."

intensos present disclosure be understood as illustrative and not to be taken in the limiting `the combination of a base having angularly disposedy portions provided with plane surthe said pivotal axis, a second cylindrical faces meeting atv right angles, a work-supporting bed, arms extending from the under portion of said bed and pivoted to said base, a cylindrical member mounted adjacent said pivots with the axis of said 'cylindrical member coincident with the y axes of lthe pivots, another cylindrical member adapted disposed portions provided with intersecting plane surfaces, strengthening webs disposed :it substantially right anglesfto `the said base portions, a Work-supporting bed provided with arms pivoted to the said webs,

securing means whereby said bed may be locked in predetermined angular `relation to the said plane surfaces, a cylindrical member having its axis substantially coincident with the Vaxis of the pivots of said arms, a second cylindrical member spaced apart from the first mentioned cylindrical member in such manner that a plane joining the axes of the said cylindrical members is at substantially right angles to the surface of the work-supporting bed and with the axes of said cylinders spaced apart a predetermined distance in such manner that the difference between the perpendicular distances of the axes of said cylinders from one of the iirst mentioned plane surfaces corresponds to the natural sine which the plane of the bed makes with the other first mentioned plane surface.

3. [i vdevice of the class described comprising the combination of a base having angulaily. disposed portions provided with base plane surfaces intersecting at a right angle, a work-supporting bed pivoted to the said base in such manner that the axis of the said pivot is located in a plane bisectingthe right angle between the said plane surfaces, a cylindrical member mounted in such manner that its axis is coincident with member of identically the same diameter as the first mentioned cylindrical member and located in suoli mannery that a plane including the axes of the said members will be at right angles to theplane of the worksupportingrbed,` and means to lock said work-supporting bed in predetermined angular relation to the base planes whereby the yangle which the surface ofthe worksupporting bed makes with one ofsaid base plane surfaces is measured bythe differences between the perpendicular distances from the other base plane to the peripheries of the saidl cylinders. l

4. A device of the character described i comprising the combination of a base meinberfhaving angularly disposed portionsiprothe combination of a base having angularly disposed portions provided with intersecting lane surfaces, strengthening means extending between said portions, a work-supporting bed being provided with armsadapted to `be secured Vto said strengthening means, the engagingV pivot portions on the arms being the same distance apart `as the engag-l ing pivot portions on the strengthening means and the engaging portions being on the `same side relatively to each other, and locking devices whereby the surface of the said supporting bed may be locked in a predetermined angular relation to the said plane surface on the base.'

6. A device of the'character specified comprising in combination a base member, a work supporting bed p-ivoted upon said base member in such manner as to be movable around an axis parallel to the plane determined by tlie base member, means for locking the work supporting bed in predetermined angular relation to said base member, an angle-measuring means comprising a cylinder mounted in such manner that the axis of the cylinder is coincident with the axis of the pivots, a second cylinder of the same diameter as the first mentioned cylinder and spaced apart therefrom so-that a liney joining the axes of the said cylinders will be at right angles to the work face onV the work supporting bed.

7. A device of the class described com-V prising in combination a base member being provided with a plane surface, supporting means carried by said base member, a worksupporting bed, means comprising pivot bolts for securing said bed to said supportingV means in such manner that said bed has a movement of rotation within predeterl mined limits relatively to the plane of said base, and means to prevent rotary movemen-t ofthe pivot bolts. V

8. A device of the1 character Vspecified comprising in: combination a basemember, a'

Work supporting bred pivoted-to Said base member toy be movable on an axis substantiallyparallel tothe planesu-rface 'compris Yingjthe face of the'wonk supporting ftable, 'and measuring meansto determine the angle between vthe Worksupport'ing face'and the said basesaid means comprising a .cylinder havingV an 4axiscoincident with lthe aXis of the pivot for the'fwork supportingtable, and means adjacent the face for supporting a cylindrical member having identically. the

same diameter as the said cylinder' and with the line joining the axes of said cylinder and y said cylindrical member being at right 'angles to the saidvvorkl face.

` 9. A devicevof the character described comprising inl combination a supporting base. having al plane surface thereon, a Worksupporting table provided with a pair of arms, pivotal means operatively connecting the lower ends ofsaid arms with the said supporting base7 the engaging faces on'the arms both facing the same direction, clamping means'adapted to lock said bedin predetermined .angular relation tothe plane of said base, and angle measuring 'devices for determining the angular position in which said bed is locked. v

-liesoo vided Witha lane surface,` a pairofwebs of arms,A meanslcomprising'pivot bolts and rriction Washers for pivotingrtheilower ,ends

of saidarms to said Webs,a locking means Y Vto prevent, rotary movement of the bolts Y.secured .tol said supporting fbaserfa; Worksupporting table being provided'with apair andwashers, and means coperating-With .one of said arms andgonerofrsaid Websto lock the said stable fin V-predetermined angular relation v;to,theplane on thefsaid base.

11. 4 device of, the character specified vcomprising in combination, a base having a base plane surface thereon, a Worksupporting bedlpivoted tothe said base ,insucfhimani Within predetermined angles, cylinder nerv as, to; be rotatable relatively thereto mounted yvvithits axis coincident lWith the aXisof the pivot for the bed, a second cylinder of exactly the diameter ofthe first men'- ltioned cylinder and i located vvto move With the bed and in such manner that a plane in cluding the axes of the saidy cylinders is'so disposed relatively to the surface of the said bed that the natural sine of the angle the Vbed imakes -with the base plane may be read directly upon a height gage bydetermining the diference between the distances of the cylinders from a given plane. Y

ELMER J. BRYANT, 'Y 

